He was pissed, like he was ready to rip me apart, but I wasn't about to back down. I had a few things to say too. I let go of Hayden's hand, but before I could take a step, Hayden squeezed it tighter.I looked at him, and he stared right back, his eyes holding that same look he had back in Chiverton when Molly tried to make me fall. It was the look of someone who wasn't gonna let anything happen to me.But I didn't need saving. Not right now. I gently pulled my hand free and said, "Jace isn't gonna do anything to me."Hayden didn't stop me this time. I followed Jace as he stomped off, practically shaking with anger. Gavin tried to follow, but Jace threw a glare over his shoulder. "This isn't your business."Gavin froze, shooting me a worried look.Jace kept walking, not even bothering to see if I was behind him. I had no clue where he was taking me, so I called out, "Whatever you've got to say, just say it here."He didn't stop, but I did. "Let's talk here. I've got stuff to do,
I smirked, cutting Jace off before he could even finish his sentence. "Don't tell me you mistook her for me.""I..." Jace's mouth hanging open as he stared at me.But I didn't let him off that easy. "Let's be real—how many times have you actually kissed me?"His expression turned stormy.We'd been together for over three years. Sure, we held hands and hugged, but when it came to real, passionate kissing? It almost never happened. And when it did, it was always something chaste—a kiss on the hand, cheek, or forehead. If our lips ever touched, it was just a quick, barely-there peck.My words hit him hard, and I could see the frustration boiling over. He suddenly let go of me, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I was an idiot who got caught up in the moment and kissed her. But it didn't mean anything.""Oh, so it only counts if you sleep with her?" I retorted sarcastically.Jace was on the edge of losing it. "Is that what you think of me? If I was that kind of guy, don't you t
When Steve rolled into the pool hall, he spotted Jace going to town on the pool balls, clearly working off some serious frustration.Instead of trying to calm him down, Steve casually grabbed a cue from the rack and sauntered over. "Same old game. Wanna play?"Jace didn't even acknowledge him, just kept hammering away at the balls. After missing a few shots, he finally snapped, slamming the cue onto the table before storming out.Steve sighed, set his cue down, and trailed after him. "So, what did Keira do to tick you off this time?""Who says it's about her? Don't bring her up," Jace snapped.Steve couldn't help but chuckle. "Come on, man. She's the only one who can get you this worked up. What's the deal? Can't handle that she's over you?"Steve always had a way of hitting where it hurt, and this time was no different.Jace whipped around and grabbed Steve by the collar. "You better shut your mouth."Steve stayed cool, meeting Jace's glare. "What'd I say?"Jace's mouth opene
I shot a quick look at Hayden, then turned to Demi, "You're just talking crazy 'cause you're wiped out.""I'm not talking crazy. You two are total workaholics. I feel like I can't keep up anymore," Demi mumbled, slumping into the car seat."Whether you can or not, you gotta hang in there. We're almost done," I said, trying to sound reassuring. Earlier today, I scoped out what still needed fixing. At the pace we're going, we should wrap this up in about ten days."How much longer?" Demi whined, like she couldn't survive even one more day."About ten days," I said after sneaking another glance at Hayden through the rearview mirror."Ten days..." Demi groaned, her voice dripping with defeat.By the time we got to the hotel, Demi was out cold. I called her name a few times, but she was in dreamland. Finally, I leaned in close and whispered, "If you don't get up, I'll make Hayden carry you.""Fine, carry me," Demi mumbled, holding out her hand.I couldn't help but laugh and gave her
"Wayne, what's going on?"Even though I had a pretty good idea of what was happening the second I saw him in that uniform, I couldn't help but ask. The whole situation was so absurd it almost felt like a joke.I thought, 'Seriously? Is Hayden being in my life such a big deal that the entire Johnston family had to get involved?'The weirdest part was Wayne had been working abroad for years. Wasn't he supposed to be heading back overseas? How did he end up at RiverwaveCorp? Was he staying here for good now?"I'm here to work, Ms. Kay. I look forward to your guidance," Wayne said, reaching out his hand, completely calm.Even though I was totally thrown off, I reached out too, our fingers barely brushing. "Welcome, Way—"I stopped mid-sentence, realizing I had no clue how to address him now.Now that he was officially here for work, and technically my superior, calling him Wayne felt too casual."You can still call me Wayne," he said with that same warm smile."Mr. Johnston, durin
'Nothing gets past him, huh?' I thought, stepping back to break the awkwardness. "You totally overstepped just now. Wayne's technically my superior, and you went ahead and assigned him tasks?""He just got here. If we don't give him tasks, do you really want him giving them to us?" Hayden's comeback left me speechless.As capable as Wayne might be, he wouldn't really get what we were doing with the adjustments right now."What, would you prefer working with him?" Hayden suddenly asked."Of course not," I said quickly, glancing at him—just in time to catch a quick smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.Hayden and I kept working as usual, with Wayne keeping his distance. But then Demi came rushing over, wide-eyed. "Keira, what's going on? Is Mr. Johnston's brother here to, like, personally supervise us?""Yep, and he's specifically here to keep an eye on you. You'll be working with him from now on," I teased, watching Demi's eyes go wide like saucers."Don't do this to me! I do
I obediently stayed still and held onto Hayden even tighter.Thump, thump...His heartbeat was strong in my ear, and that's when it hit me—I was practically glued to his chest.But fear had taken over everything else, and I couldn't even bring myself to care.I clung to him like my life depended on it, convincing myself that if I held on tight enough, I'd know for sure it wasn't me moving—it was just the lift swaying.After what felt like forever, the shaking finally stopped, but I didn't let go until his voice cut through my thoughts. "Looks like you've got a new co-worker."I blinked, slowly pulling away, and looked down to see what he was talking about. When I realized who it was, I froze.Shock turned into a rush of anger as I slammed the button to lower the lift.When we touched down, Tanya was standing there, wearing her usual fake innocent smile. "Ms. Kay."I wasn't in the mood for her games. "What are you doing here?" I asked, not even bothering to hide the edge in my
"Mr. Johnston, I might be throwing shade now, but my actions could be way worse. If you're so worried, why don't you just take her out of here, or..." I glanced at Wayne and continued, "Maybe I should assign someone to babysit her 24/7?"Jace didn't get the hint. "Sure, if you're the one watching her, I'd feel even better.""Not happening. I've got better things to do," I snapped before hanging up on him.Tanya jumped in, "You don't have to be so hostile. I can take care of myself.""Ms. Twain, you've got all your limbs and a working brain, so yeah, I believe you can. But accidents happen when you least expect them," I said, noticing Demi nearby trying to hide her laugh."Mr. Johnston suggested on the call that someone should be with you around the clock. Though, I don't think 24/7 is necessary. After all, when you're sleeping, the only person who can protect you is someone close, right?" I added, not holding back.I used to feel bad for her after Desmond's sudden death, but now
Aaron didn’t give Nate an answer, but silence itself was an answer. Lena’s test results came back negative: no traces of snake venom were found in her system. The wound had been treated, and in the end, it turned out to be a false alarm. “Sorry, Uncle,” Lena said apologetically. “I ruined your camping trip.” When she had been bitten by the snake, her screams were so terrifying that they startled everyone else. The others quickly packed up and left, bringing the camping trip to an abrupt, messy end. “It’s fine. You can make it up to everyone another time,” Aaron replied in a way that defied all expectations. Shouldn’t he be comforting her? He didn’t play by the rules, and Lena decided she wouldn’t either. “I’m not making it up to anyone. If anything, you owe me, Uncle.” “How would you like me to compensate you?” This time, he sounded more reasonable. Lena blinked mischievously. “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.” After saying that, she sigh
Nate stared at her face, carefully observing her expression and movements. He had a rough idea of her condition but still asked, "Bitten on the ankle, right? Let me see the wound." As he spoke, he bent down. However, before he could touch Lena, she was moved away. Nate looked up at Aaron. "Mr. Ace, even if the snake isn’t venomous, its teeth carry a lot of bacteria." Aaron’s response was as sharp as ever. "Oh, so you can see the bacteria and have a chat with them, asking them to leave? Or can you wipe them out with your bare hands?" Without waiting for Nate’s reply, Aaron scooped up Lena and walked off. Nate crouched there for a few seconds, stunned, before standing up and following quickly.-Lena was seated in a chair as the doctor lifted her leg. Just as Nate reached out to roll up her pant leg, Aaron had already done it. Nate had no choice but to awkwardly withdraw his hand. The doctor began cleaning the wound with disinfectant. Meanwhile, Aaron gently placed his hand
The black Cayenne roared through the night, the driver pushing the car to its limits as if his foot might break through the gas pedal. Yet, Aaron wasn’t satisfied. "Faster," he barked. "There’s no need to rush. Safety first," Lena said, her voice calm despite her pale complexion. As a doctor, she knew the basics—judging by the snake that bit her, it was likely just a common green snake, non-venomous. Despite her reassurances, Aaron remained tense, his entire body rigid. The driver, responding to the urgency, raced toward the hospital with record-breaking speed. What should have been a twenty-minute drive was reduced to eight. By the time they screeched to a halt, the driver’s legs were trembling from the adrenaline rush. It was the first time in his life he had experienced such an intense, heart-pounding ride. Aaron didn’t wait for the car to stop completely. He leapt out, carrying Lena straight into the emergency room. "Doctor, she's been bitten by a snake," he said urgently.
"Then why are his photos identical to yours?" Keira demanded. Lena didn’t answer immediately. She understood what Keira meant, opened her social media app, and found Aaron’s post. Sure enough, he’d shared the exact same photo as hers. To make things worse, the comments underneath included a particularly mortifying one from her mother: [You’re with Lena, huh?] Her mother probably didn’t mean anything by it, but the comment still felt inappropriate. As Lena silently cursed her mother’s lack of tact, she noticed another reply under that comment. This one, from Aaron himself, read: [Wherever she goes, I’ll take her with me and make sure she’s well taken care of. Don’t worry, Sis.] Lena was absolutely speechless. These two siblings were a perfect match: one was clueless, and the other oblivious. Her mother, as an older woman, could be excused for her lack of social awareness. But Aaron? Why was he commenting like this, knowing full well that their mutual friends could see it?
Lena hastily withdrew her hand, but her movements were too abrupt. As she stepped back, she tripped over the support pole of the tent and fell backward. Just as she braced herself for a painful landing, Aaron’s long arm reached out and caught her waist, pulling her into his embrace. Her cheek pressed against his chest, and the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat filled her ears, blending with her own erratic pulse. This suffocating feeling... It was almost intoxicating. It reminded her of the time she had accidentally walked in on him while he was showering. Awkward. So awkward that she didn’t even know how to extricate herself, nor did she have the courage to pull away from his arms. “You’re already an adult, yet you’re still so clumsy,” Aaron scolded lightly, his voice coming from above her. Then he released her and added, “No wonder your mom worries about you so much and insists on you staying at home.” Lena’s suffocating embarrassment was instantly eased by his rem
“Don’t randomly go into the tents. Some employees brought their families or significant others. It’d be awkward if you interrupted them,” Aaron reminded from behind her. “Wow, Uncle, how considerate of you—allowing employees to bring their families,” Lena teased, her tone light. She walked through the array of pitched tents, but with so many scattered around, she had no idea which one belonged to Aaron. Still, since he insisted she find it herself, she was determined to try. Approaching one tent, she suddenly heard muffled voices inside—intimate murmurs between a man and a woman. The woman’s hushed voice carried a hint of urgency. “Be gentle, don’t let anyone hear…” Even though Lena was a gynecologist, her cheeks flushed uncontrollably. She couldn’t help but think that if she had brought a stash of "protection" tonight, she might have made a small fortune. Meanwhile, Aaron stayed back, standing a short distance away and watching her from afar. In the moonlight, she looked l
“Reconciled with Nate?” In the quiet car, Aaron’s voice broke the silence as he glanced at Nate standing motionless in the rearview mirror. “No,” Lena denied softly. “He came back this time because of you, didn’t he?” Aaron asked as the car turned a corner. His hands moved fluidly on the steering wheel, the motion revealing a gray-gold watch on his wrist. The watch’s polished edges caught the light streaming through the window, casting a fleeting glimmer. Lena’s gaze lingered on the watch, her thoughts momentarily drifting. If she remembered correctly, she had given him a watch as a coming-of-age gift years ago. It had cost her all her savings back then. But that was over a decade ago. Surely, the watch she gave him would have broken by now. This one likely just resembled it—or maybe she was remembering it wrong after so much time. “Hm?” Aaron’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts, his eyes briefly flicking to her. Lena quickly recovered. “He came back for a research pro
“No problem. Let’s schedule the simulations after work each day. It’ll mean some extra hours, but I appreciate everyone’s effort,” Nate said, nodding to the team to show his gratitude. “If anyone has concerns or special circumstances, please let me know in advance so I can make adjustments,” Lena added. As the primary surgeon responsible for the operation, she not only had to ensure the procedure’s success but also maintain the morale of the entire medical team. Everyone shook their heads, indicating they had no issues. “Great. In that case, you can all head home and get some rest. Dr. Lane and I will stay back to finalize a few details,” Nate said, dismissing the team but keeping Lena behind. The two went over the finer points of the plan, and by the time they finished, it was nearly 9 p.m. “I noticed this morning that Mr. Ace dropped you off. Is your car broken?” Nate asked. He had seen her getting out of Aaron’s car earlier. “Flat tire,” Lena replied, realizing she hadn’
Lena wanted to sleep early, but the more she tried, the harder it was to fall asleep. She tossed and turned until dawn and only managed to sleep for a short while. Naturally, she woke up late. Rushing downstairs in a flurry, she saw Aaron calmly eating breakfast in the dining area. "Good morning, Uncle!" she greeted as she hurried toward the door. "Your car has a flat tire," Aaron said nonchalantly, stopping her in her tracks. Without even looking up, he continued cutting his steak with precision. "I’ve contacted a repairman, but it’s too early for them to come over." In other words, there was no way she could drive to work this morning. But she had already arranged with Nate to conduct an examination on the pregnant woman whose fetus had an underdeveloped heart. They needed to finalize the surgical plan and decide on the team. Being late would be unacceptable. "Then I’ll call a cab," Lena said, quickly coming up with a solution. "It’s rush hour—good luck finding one," Aa